The Objective Measures in Auditory Implants 6th International Symposium will be held September 23-25, 2010 in St. Louis, MO at the Washington University School of Medicine. This application requests partial funds to support travel and lodging costs for domestic invited speakers, student travel awards, and to provide real-time captioning during the symposium. The conference will bring together researchers and clinicians in the field of cochlear implants and neighboring disciplines who employ a range of objective measures, including both electrophysiology and imaging techniques, to study the effects of deafness and restoration of hearing via electrical stimulation. Cochlear implantation is currently considered the standard of care for individuals who are deaf, however variability in outcomes is large and poorly understood. The 1995 NIH sponsored Consensus Statement on Cochlear Implants included an emphasis on studying the role of higher level cognitive processes, on neuroimaging of the brain to explore the central auditory system, and on the relationship between neural activity and auditory perception. Fourteen years later, variability in performance remains unexplained and research in auditory plasticity from the periphery to the cortex is still critically needed to advance the field. In addition, further development of objective methods to evaluate function and facilitate fitting of implant systems in pediatric populations is warranted. The Overall Goal of the symposium is to share, expand and generate research and clinical ideas among attendees to improve understanding of neurophysiology and behavioral outcomes in cochlear implant patients which ultimately may improve patient performance. The Specific Aims of this conference proposal are to 1) provide an avenue for discussion of the latest work using objective measures at the periphery and the cortex, 2) allow for the exchange of ideas between scientists and clinicians who focus primarily on the use of imaging techniques with scientists and clinicians whose use electrophysiologic techniques to study the response of the auditory system to electrical stimuli, and 3) allow students and new investigators an opportunity to learn from and network with experienced investigators. Invited Speakers (experts in their respective areas of study) and presenters selected from submitted abstracts will participate in one of five planned sessions: 1) Peripherally-Generated, Electrically Evoked Potentials;2) Peripheral Electrode/Nerve Interface Using Imaging/Electrophysiologic Techniques;3) Centrally-Generated, Electrically Evoked Auditory Potentials;4) Centrally- Generated, Imaging Techniques;and 5) Pushing the Boundaries-New Applications. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This proposal seeks partial funding for a symposium to bring together scientists and clinicians to share and generate research and clinical ideas to improve understanding of the hearing system in people with deafness. In particular, the symposium will focus on methods to study the hearing system from the inner ear to the brain of cochlear implant patients.